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Ken
Collins, Land Steward
Ken is in charge
of implementing restoration projects on ESF properties, whether
it's leading volunteer groups on erosion control projects or managing
work crews to remove invasive exotic plants. He also is responsible
for patrolling and performing maintenance on property boundaries,
protecting critical wildland habitat. Ken, originally from New York,
first got his feet wet in conservation work seven years ago after
joining the California Conservation Corps. While in the CCC, he
rose through the ranks to become a senior crew leader and was selected
to travel abroad to Russia and Australia in the Conservation Exchange
Program. After completing six months in the rigorous CCC-Backcountry
program, Ken continued his environmental work with the Foundation.
"There is nothing more important than protecting the environment
in which we all live." |
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Kevin
Contreras, Land Acquisitions Coordinator
Kevin studied
geographical ecology while obtaining his Master’s degree from
San Diego State University, where he developed skills and interests
in vegetation surveys and mapping, geographic information systems
and wildfire ecology. Kevin holds a B.A. in Economics and an M.A.
in Geography. He now coordinates land acquisition for the Elkhorn
Slough Foundation in accordance with the 1999
Watershed Conservation Plan. This includes mapping property
features and researching real estate issues. He formerly worked
for the University of California Santa Cruz and San Diego State
University. |
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Gabriele Estill, Grant Manager
Gabi
joined the Elkhorn Slough Foundation in December 2006 as grant manager. She comes to the nonprofit world from corporate communications at Siemens via marketing for UC Santa Cruz. Gabi holds a masters degree in communication science from the University of Munich, Germany, an advanced certificate in community relations from Boston College and a certificate in business administration. Her role at Elkhorn Slough Foundation is to work closely with our program managers to keep track of all federal, state and private grant spending and reporting. She, her husband and their two children split their time between La Selva Beach and the Tahoe Basin. |
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Michelle Gaither-McClain, Communications and Development
Michelle moved here from Albuquerque New Mexico, where she worked with United Blood Services and the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce. She will be working with the Director of Communications and Development to cultivate our membership here at the Elkhorn Slough Foundation. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and is eager to put this knowledge work as we educate the public about protecting the Elkhorn Slough. |
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Kim
Hayes, Stewardship Director
Kim Hayes oversees
the stewardship of lands
owned or managed by ESF. She has lived on the central coast since
1988. Her career has been dedicated to environmental education and
native habitat restoration and land management. She has also worked for California State Parks
and UC Santa Cruz developing environmental interpretation programs
and managing protected natural areas. Kim truly loves her work and
finds the diversity of habitats and wildlife in the Elkhorn Slough
area both awe-inspiring and humbling. "There is much work to
do to restore environmental health, and every day one can experience
endless reasons why we've got to try." |
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John
Kenney, Farmland Manager
John managed
an organic farm for nearly ten years, then worked in the Santa
Cruz County Agricultural Commissioner's Office for three years.
John spends much of his time working with the farmers we lease
land to and helping to manage fallowed areas. |
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Mark
Silberstein, Executive Director
Trained as a
marine zoologist, Mark
has worked on the study and conservation of coastal wetlands for
three decades. Working with a group of community volunteers, Mark
developed the land trust function of the Foundation, which is
aggressively working to conserve and restore the Elkhorn Slough,
one of the last remaining estuarine wetlands on the central coast.
Mark was on a team of conservationists that developed a watershed
conservation plan for the Elkhorn watershed that led to significant
funding for land acquisitions here. Mark is known for pursuing
collaborative approaches to conservation and for a fondness for
mud. |
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Tricia
Wilson, Visitor Center Coordinator / Naturalist
Tricia grew up on the east coast. After college, she traveled in
Africa, went to Korea in the Peace Corps, and lived and worked in
Japan, Fiji, and Mexico. She came to Santa Cruz and became a wildlife
rehabilitator with Native Animal Rescue. She heard about Elkhorn
Slough when asked for bird specimens for exhibits, and became a
docent. After volunteering for 10 years, she now works as a Visitor
Center Naturalist and Bookstore Assistant. Tricia's wildlife rescue
and rehabilitation skills
are called upon quite often, and she occasionally is able to use
her language skills to help international visitors. |
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Lisa Zaretsky, Webmaster
Lisa is a freelance designer and writer. After receiving a BS in Environmental Biology and Botany from Humboldt State University, she went on to work for State Parks, National Parks, and eventually the Elkhorn Slough Reserve as a naturalist (photo from 1998). She was soon hired by ESF but left in 2002 to pursue other goals, including starting a family. She's happy to be back working with this great organization.
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Meet
the ESF Board of Directors
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